I Have Bruises

There is nothing more humiliating than being the sole beginner in a "Power" Yoga class.  Tonight I continued my pursuit for fitness by attending such a class.  These classes are supposed to be for all levels but it was apparent very quickly that I was the only one in the class who hasn't been practicing Yoga since birth! The class moves quickly between poses...and not knowing what all the poses were I was constantly at a loss and looking at my neighbor for what I should be doing.  For instance, when the instructor said pigeon pose

 (pictured to the right) I had a mental picture of the Karate Kid doing the Crane move.  It turns out I do the pigeon pose very, very well I was totally flat with my head on the mat.  Other moves included back bends,shoulder stands, head stands....I can't remember all the names for all the poses that he spurted out.  If you're curious we were doing Vinyasa yoga you can Google for the poses.  Folks were doing crazy stuff in this class!  But if you know me...I have no problem making a fool of myself trying something if challenged.   I saw this as a challenge.  I went for it..headstands...hand stands...all of it.

I have bruises.

There was the peaceful quiet of the room, the very soothing voice of the instructor as well as the soothingly soft music and then there was the constant thud and inevitable giggle of me attempting EVERYTHING.  I'm positive everyone wishes I had not been there.

The last time I made this much of an ass of myself was several years ago and my first time ever on a ski hill.  We were at Le Massif in Quebec and I was surrounded by my then boyfriend (now husband, he married me anyway) his sister and brother law..all black diamond skiers.  My husband is a skier, my sis-in-law and her husband are snowboarders.  I announce to everyone my first time on a ski hill would be on a snow board...because what the hell, right?  If I'm going to get battered up and make a fool of myself it might as well be while attempting to do something cool.  Luckily all my ass-making was NOT in front of my husband and his family but in front of a French speaking instructor who I managed to make laugh along with me almost the entire lesson with my antics (think going backwards down the hill and not being able to stop).  Oh and to top off the experience the hill was total ice that day.  So every fall was like landing on a friggin rock!

At any rate.  I made it through tonight's Power Yoga class quite well and I had a good workout and heehee...I go again in two days!!  Poor Steve, the instructor, will likely cringe when he sees me happily bounce into the room.

Postpartum Yoga Mom

Image taken from: http://www.gregoryangell.com

For any of you that practice yoga, you know the benefits - I don't need to get on a soap box about how amazing it makes you feel. For me, it has always, always made all the stress in my back just go away.

So, after having done NOTHING to stay fit for over 2 years, since the birth of my first son, and used the pregnancy of my second as an excuse to continue to do nothing...I'm back on the yoga wagon!

So...imagine my surprise at how very different the moves all felt with this gigantic belly I have right now! Ugh..I'm still limber enough to sit with my legs out straight and fold all the way down with my forehead touching my knees...but what gets in the way is my huge freaking belly! Where did that come from?! Thanks Peter...thanks Paul! : OK...and another thanks to Ben & Jerry's! double grin! or double chin...whatever.

I'm doing it as best I can. I was always a stickler for trying to get the poses exactly right and now, thanks to my new shape it's damn near impossible.

So I'm on the road to recovery...my body needs it. It's amazing how many body parts hurt from sheer weight. I have constant water retention (my ankles ... well, are gone), my back always hurts, my knees hurt, my arms swing (no not down by my sides while I walk... I mean the bottom part of my upper arms. When I wave bye I almost give myself a black eye!). My husband is a saint! He's still in the house with me, makes no remarks and I guess I should wonder if he's even noticed...whatever..I don't feel bad about my weight because of him...only because of me! As it should be.

I hiked up a steep hill today with the 12 pound baby strapped to my chest and thought I was going to die of a heart attack...those poor calf muscles haven't seen that much work in ages! I may start sprinting up the stairs in my house every time I have a moment to get a jump start on things! I kid...

I've only been cleared for yoga (so ignore that I hiked today up big hills ... shhhhh) but I'm aching to get down on the floor and crunch out some sit ups! Ah well...stay tuned...I'm taking before and after shots of my bod but I'm not posting them until I see some results! Wouldn't that be embarrassing to post the before now and never reach any kind of noticeable result?! yikes! depressing...won't happen.

stay tuned...

- The Postpartum Yoga Mom